My fall was zipping right along down here in the deep south. We were enjoying unseasonably warm weather until about a week ago when the temperatures suddenly dropped to more normal fall-like levels. For some reason the cooler temperatures have really inspired me to turn my oven back on and try some new things in the kitchen.

This past weekend I wanted something decadent but easy for dinner. What I had on hand was plain old ordinary chicken breast. I came up with the idea of adding a simple artichoke dip to the top of the chicken before baking.

This is an incredibly easy recipe. The artichoke topping comes together in just a couple of minutes. After that you just pop it in the oven and you have 30-35 minutes do get other things done.

The results were outstanding. Encrusted Artichoke Chicken tasted better than many restaurant meals I have eaten lately. I am definitely adding this recipe to my normal meal rotation.

Encrusted Artichoke Chicken

Prep time: 7 minutes - Cook time: 35 minutes - Makes: 4 servings

4 thin sliced chicken breasts (boneless & skinless)

garlic salt

black pepper

1 can (13.75 oz) artichoke bottoms, sliced

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese

2 tablespoons sun dried tomatoes, sliced thin

1/4 teaspoon thyme

1/8 teaspoon garlic salt

1/4 cup Italian Panko Crumbs

Preheat oven to 325°F.

Spray a broiler pan with non-stick cooking spray. Place chicken breasts on the broiler pan so they are not touching. Season with a light sprinkle of garlic salt and black pepper.

Spoon 1/4 of the artichoke mixture onto each chicken breast. Spread the artichoke mixture so it mostly covers the top of the chicken breast. Sprinkle Panko crumbs over top of the artichoke mixture (roughly 1 tablespoon of Panko crumbs over each chicken breast).

Bake for 30-35 minutes or until chicken is fully cooked. Last 60 seconds of cooking turn heat up to broil to better melt the cheese in the artichoke mixture. Remove form oven, serve and enjoy!